Bandages and Luck
by sayrii
Summary: A young girl (Sato Maki) left home for good. Haunted by her memories she went to Tokyo to study and have a job. She then accidentally meets Midorima Shintaro, a basketball god belonging to the generation of miracles same as her co-model Ryota Kise who likes her but is afraid of showing his true feelings. Are these two men enough to let Maki forget her past? Twists and turns. Now.
1. Chapter 1

HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

I have been sitting here for almost two hours. I already know that the trees on my right give a whistling sound to the slightest blow of the wind and that the gate of the park creaks when it is being moved to and fro by the force of the strong wind. I gave a huge sigh. What am I going to miss about this place when I'll leave? A lot, a whole lot. I have been born and raised in this place but coming back to this park is like bidding farewell to the memories I have treasured and buried since childhood.

I could still remember that time when I was playing here on the exact spot feeling a pair of eyes watching me. The next minute the owner of those eyes became a friend.

"I am Tadaka Kenji, sorry for watching you play. We actually just moved here from Tokyo. I have no one to play with."

"I could be your playmate Takada-kun! I am Sato Maki. I live nearby."

Our friendship grew stronger and stronger until that tragic incident when were twelve years old. Tadaka was running across the street to buy my favorite takoyaki when a speeding car hit him. He was gone forever. After that I have been miserable. I did not visit the park where Takada and I first met. Now here I am, acting like a brave girl, trying to say good bye of the painful memories.

If only I could.

I closed my eyes. The wind seemed to change, it became warmer… and that's when I realized someone is enveloping me in his arms. Tears started to fall as I mumbled his name. "K… Kenji-chan"

-FOUR YEARS AFTER-

TOKYO, JAPAN

"Kise-san! You're taking it too seriously!" I yelled at my co-model when he put his arms around my waist romantically and having his lips close to mine like we are some real life couple. We have to shoot for the summer collection of You X Me. Kise have been a co-model of mine for almost four years and I hate it when he gets too comfortable with me and I can't keep my privacy any longer. "Kise-san stop meddling with my phone!" "Kise-san who filled my iPad with all these apps?" "Kise-san that is my sandwhich don't even dare take a bite!" "Kise-san stop putting ribbons on my dog! He's male!" It has always been like that. I actually like Kise as a friend but I'm afraid to get close with the opposite sex. The trauma of losing Kenji was too much.

"Sorry Satocchi but I just love teasing you. I love it when your ears turn red and when your veins appear." He said tracing the vein on my neck as he gave me his im-not-going-to-apologize-just-for-that-cause-i-lo ve-it look. Then he ran his fingers to his yellow colored hair. I could see how well formed his biceps are. Well, it really should be formed since he's a basketball player.

"Oh you always are forgiven Kise-san!" I said with a sarcastic look as I went to the dressing room to change.

I was on my way to my favorite toy store to buy another stuffed panda to add into my collection. I have been collecting pandas after my Mom gave me one during the death of Kenji. Pandas seem to be Kenji's replacement. I've been buying a lot of them to have enough Kenji to last me a lifetime.

"Good morning Maki-chan!" greeted the store owner. I've been known in that place for my habit. "We already have the panda you ordered. We also have a limited edition porcelain panda figurine today. There are only few left though." She said with a smile wrinkles showing.

"I am sorry Ojosan but I guess I got the last one." said a guy in glasses with green hair. As he lifted his glasses I saw that his fingers are full of bandages. He must have gotten into a fist fight or maybe he's into boxing. From all the assumptions, one thing is for sure: he's got a nice body build.

"I guess I'll take the stuffed panda then." I said smiling not really affected that the porcelain pandas ran out.

"The stuffed panda won't work. The horoscope clearly said that the lucky item is a porcelain panda." said the green haired guy as-a-matter-of- factly.

"I'm not buying a panda because of the horoscope, I don't even believe in luck." I said and left the store owner and the guy. I wasn't even waiting for his reply. I took the stuffed panda and paid at the cashier.


	2. Chapter 2

Who is that guy? I asked myself. A guy like him is not into some stupid horoscopes right? He must be kidding. His being so vocal about horoscope is somehow mysterious. Maybe he was kidding me or maybe I don't know. The world is getting strange nowadays. Now this is shit, I can't get his face off my mind. I just saw him now but it's like I have seen and known him from before. Past life, maybe? Ha-ha fat chance.

I looked at the panda I am hugging. "Kenji, why is this?" I asked "and why am I talking to you? You are never going to talk and if someone sees me he will think I'm going crazy. Ughh who am I fooling?" I took my phone, no messages. As if someone would text me at times like this. Who would? Like I never even received a single _Hello! Have a nice day ahead! _text message from someone before. I'm hopeless. No, I'm not hopeless I'm still young there will still be lots of things that I will meet and I will experience. _Who am I fooling again? _The world is unfair. It will always be. As if on cue my phone rang. I checked the caller, it was Kise-kun. I answered.

"Ohayo Kise-kun!" partly glad that somebody called, "what's wrong?"

"Satocchi! Where are you?"

"I'm on my way home. Why are you asking?" gee, it's weirder than I thought.

"I have your dog. You left him at the shoot. You really love him, do you? He said making fun of me. He loves it and I don't get why. Why do people make fun of other people's demise?

"It really must have slipped my mind. Where are you so that I could fetch him." I said calmly.

Now I'm at my flat staring blankly at my dog. If dogs could only speak. I let out a huge sigh. It's summer, what will happen to my summer? Hmm. I tried recalling my past summers and then it hit me. Why not go to a beach alone? Maybe try doing some soul searching or whatever they call that lame-ass excuse for spending your time alone away from all the people you know and you care about. I have a nice body. A pretty face, well not pretty enough but pretty for a girl like me who has been from the province most of my time and a working student. Yes I am a working student. I work as a full-time model and at the same time I am studying International Studies. My life is a bit tough I admit but I'm getting used to independence. I could still remember the look upon my Mother's face when I told her I have decided to leave Hokkaido and live here in Tokyo. I know she lost a part of her when I left. My Father doesn't even talk to me until now. I couldn't just get why they want me to stay there with them. Oni-chan is with them, he's been their favorite ever since. Not that it mattered to me but I just want to move on, but by moving on it does not mean I should forget Kenji. All I want to forget is the pain. All I want is to remember his face clearly without having myself breaking down. I don't think they will ever understand. I long for them, I know. Apparently this is my life now. The clothes, the make-up, the flashes of the cameras here and there, this is more of how I define myself.

How about go somewhere abroad? Yes, that would be great! Now I'm talking to myself again. Phooo* Aha! How about making my bucket list? *evil laugh* That! I would love that!

So I started making one..

MY BUCKET LIST

*learn how to play the piano

(I could still remember that time when I was thinking I was Lizzie from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. What am I going to do if I was asked to play the piano forte? Good thing Lizzie knows how to. So maybe I should too.)

*go skydiving

(nobody died from that sport right?)

*climb a mountain

(which mountain, Mt. Fuji? Something to think about along the way.)

*learn how to catch a fish

(I still have the fishing rod a co-worker gave me, maybe I'll put it into use.)

While I was into deep thinking of what to write next, my phone rang for the second time today.

Unfortunately it was the same person calling.

"Konnichiwa Satocchi! Don't say a word. Just listen to me. I want you to come watch our game tonight. Like come on! You're the only one from work who wasn't able to watch me play yet I think you owe me one. Come tonight please? I'll be waiting for you outside. 7:00 pm, you already know where. See you later. Don't let me down" beep beep beep

Not again.


End file.
